Wiccans Who Love Jesus

Silver Chalice E-zine Exclusive ~ Feature Article

Sounds strange, perhaps, but Wiccans Who Love Jesus are a growing phenomenon. And one that, I believe, is inevitable.

In these times of spiritual maturation, more and more people are dissatisfied with the religious rules that were given in humanity's spiritual infancy (or, at best, pre-teen-hood).

People now crave more than living out religious doctrines, bound by archaic rules. We want more than merely thinking about, talking about, bowing to, and praying to Someone distant and obscure.

We yearn to actually experience the Divine in our lives... and even to integrate ourselves into the Oneness that is the core truth of reality.

Sadly, it's impossible to do that while bound by the rules we were taught as children — the spiritual equivalents of "Don't cross the street; don't talk to strangers," etc.

There comes a time in everyone's development when we MUST do those things (at least be free to make up our own minds about them), or else be psychologically and spiritually stunted... even crippled.

1
Christianism is the system of dogma or religion that purportedly worships Jesus of Nazareth, while failing to follow the essence of His teachings. (from the Dragonsong Dictionary of Spirit)

So we see people streaming from the ranks of Christianism1 and seeking a more advanced spiritual path, like Wicca Spirituality for example — one that teaches and encourages direct personal experience of the Divine Within and Without.

But can Jesus come along with those people to Wicca?

Why would anyone even want Him to?

Loving Jesus Came First

Naturally, most people who are seeking connection with the Divine are deeply spiritual. So it's not surprising that ex-Christians may have developed a true bond of love with Jesus — the aspect of the Divine most available to them in Christianity.

And they don't want to leave Him behind just because they've outgrown the dogma that's been welded around Him (a nearly impenetrable wall that imprisons Him and blocks us out).

No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater!

Jesus Didn't Write The Bible

Although I don't have much of a personal relationship with Jesus myself, I've written fairly extensively about how His actual teachings and ideals are compatible with Wicca. (See the articles starting here.)

Inevitably, I get replies from Christians that point out how wrong I am, quoting biblical passages as proof.

What they don't realise is that the Bible isn't Jesus.

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In the most generous interpretation of events of the Councils of Nicaea. It's at least equally true to say the Bible was spin-doctored to support a hierarchy of religious power.

The Bible as we know it today is a mix of spiritual wisdom, morality tales, folkloric history, and guidelines for daily life that was toned down for the spiritually inexperienced.2

The earliest parts of the Old Testament show this really blatantly, with lists of rules and regulations that are meant to be unquestioned — the spiritual equivalent of "Because I said so!" — regardless of how suitable they might or might not be in future centuries.

The teachings of Jesus were specifically dumbed down by church authorities for those they deemed too spiritually ignorant to understand His deeper teachings. So Paul's interpretation of Jesus after His death was used as the basis for the New Testament — the core of Christianity — with Jesus' own words exiled to lost documents... such as have in recent times been recollected in the Gnostic Gospels and Nag Hammadi Library.

What's Not To Love?

Biblical scholars have spent decades trying to winnow Jesus' true teachings from the chaff of others' interpretations and interference. (See Recommended Reading, after this article.)

And what they've found in His teaches is perfectly compatible with Wicca Spirituality and other mystical paths — that is, paths that lead to personal spiritual development.

Because that's what Jesus was trying to teach!

Unfortunately, most of His students weren't ready to understand.

Thankfully, humanity is finally beginning to catch up with Him.

Following a Spiritual Master

So when people confess, often somewhat abashedly, that they're Wiccan now but they still love Jesus, I say "Great!"

Why not? I honour Jesus as a sage, a saint, even an avatar of the Divine — and I have no trouble with anyone seeing Jesus as a Deity (is there even a fine line between avatar and Deity?). However we meet the Divine is fine by me!

Besides, what's the singular rule of Wicca? Do as ye will, an ye harm none!

Loving Jesus doesn't harm anyone, so if it works for you, who can say no?

Jesus Himself was a being — or at least an archetypal Energy — of Divine Love, full God-realisation, and highest possible consciousness. And the core of His message was: if you want to honour Me, then BE LIKE ME. Don't bow and beg Me to do it for you: do what I do!

That's what He was trying to teach us: a way to live the Divine Qualities that He embodied. All that He was, He told us, each of us can be... and even more!

"Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" (John 10:34) Can't be much more explicit than that!

So if someone loves and honours Jesus, and follows Him in His own footsteps, while loving and honouring the Earth as Goddess and life as sacred, then that can only make them a better Wiccan, in my opinion.

Some may disagree, but only those who see Wicca as a religion — a set of dogmatic rules rather than a training ground for spiritual mastery.

With Bright Blessings,

Recommended Reading

The Gnostic Gospels
Elaine Pagels' eye-opening examination of the history of Christianity, and how politics and religion collided in the formation of the orthodox Church.

The Pagan Christ
Tom Harpur explores the spirituality underneath the doctrine, which is a revelation on its own, and shows that the roots of Christianity are Pagan... and how the Church persecuted Pagans simply to cover up this fact.